Samoa: Oka l’a (Fish Salad), Chicken, Kumera & Red Potato baked in Pineapple Glaze, & Pawpaw & Mango Salad with Coconut Passionfruit dressing




the independent state of Samoa (previously know as Western Samoa),  is a unitary democracy in the central South Pacific located west of the Cook Islands & north of Tonga. Independent Samoa shares an oceanic island archipelago with American Samoa (previously known as Eastern Samoa), which has been an unincorporated territory of the United States of America since 1900. 

Samoan food is a subtly flavoured Polynesian cuisine that lets the flavours of the fresh local produce speak for themselves without a lot of spices getting in the way. Key Samoan ingredients are coconut, seafood,  chicken, fresh fruits, taro, potato  and pork.   The traditional mode of cooking in Samoa is the Umu,  an above the ground stone oven heated by glowing hot lava rocks. Food is wrapped in banana leaves or plaited in coconut fronds then placed directly on the rocks for cooking. Umu is special occasion food in Samoa so I have tried to do something  similar using my standard oven.

  

our Samoan menu included:
Oka l’a (Fish Salad)
Moa (Chicken), Kumera (Sweet Potato) & Red Potato 
baked in Pineapple Glaze
&
Pawpaw, Mango & toasted Walnut Salad
with 
Coconut Passionfruit dressing

Oka I'a (Fish Salad)
(serves 6-8)

Ingredients
·      800 gm Firm White fish
·      1 cup fresh lemon juice
·      juice of 1 lime
·      ½ red onion
·      2 Shallots
·      1 large cucumber
·      1 cup coconut milk
·      sea salt to taste
Note: traditionally the fish would be tuna but we chose to use Mackerel as our guest of honour is expecting a baby & Tuna, Marlin & similar large fish contain mercury that may be harmful for unborn babies!

Method:
1.    Clean & trim the fish removing any bones, skin & any dark flesh
2.    Cut the fish into small even-sized cubes no bigger than 1 cm
3.    Place the fish in a dish & pour the lemon juice over the top
4.    Stir the fish & lemon juice gently then cover & refrigerate
5.    Leave the fish to marinate until it is tender, for about an hour (or as you like it), giving it an occasional gentle with a coconut wood spoon
6.    Whilst  the fish is marinating cut up the vegetables
7.    Finely dice the  onion, tomato & cucumber & thinly slice the spring onion
8.    Drain the lemon juice from the fish & discard the juice
9.    Add the chopped vegetables and gently mix  together
10.         Add coconut cream & the lime juice & gently mix
11.         Now season with sea salt to taste
12.         Refrigerate the fish for at least half an hour to allow the flavours to blend and develop
13.          The salad may begin a little dry but will be juicy by the time you are serving
14.         Serve chilled

Q-Zine original recipe based on our own experiences in Samoa & adapted from several found at

Chicken, Kumera & Red Potato baked in Pineapple Glaze

Ingredients

·      12 Chicken Pieces (thighs, drumsticks etc)
·      2 medium to large size Kumera (sweet potato)
·      8 large Red Potato
·      6 tbs coconut oil
·      3 tsp fresh ground sea salt

Pineapple Glaze

Ingredients
·      4 spring onions chopped
·      4 cups pineapple juice
·      1 cup unsweetened passionfruit pulp
·      Juice and zest of 3 oranges and 3 limes
·      3 cups of soy sauce
·      3 cups of raw sugar
·      6 cloves of chopped garlic
·      7cms of fresh ginger, sliced
·      8 star anise

Method:
1.    3 hours before you want to serve your meal you need to get the glaze onto the stove top to boil down as it is going to take 1 ½ to 2 hours
2.    Put all the ingredients for the glaze into a pot, give it a good stir, bring to the boil then turn down to a rolling simmer
3.    Keep boiling the glaze down & stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until it begins to look like sugar syrup – a bit like how toffee looks when its almost cooked down.
4.    As the glaze is cooking down prepare to cook the Kumera, potato & chicken & turn your oven onto medium (180 C)
5.    Take 3 roasting pans & coat each with 2 tbs of coconut oil then sprinkle with sea salt
6.    Wash & dry the kumera & potato as they will be cooked with the skin on
7.    Now cut both vegetables into pieces about 3 cm square
8.    Fill your three baking trays, one with the cut kumera, one with the red potato & one with the chicken pieces skin side up & sprinkle it all with a little sea salt
9.    Strain the glaze through a sieve & baste the three trays with the   
glaze
10.         Now place the three trays in the heated oven.
11.         It will take approximately an hour to cook the food
12.         Place the trays in the oven with the chicken at the top, potato   
             next level & Kumera on the bottom
13.         After 20 minutes turn everything over, starting with the chicken      
       to avoid anything burning due to the sugar in the glaze
14.          After another 20 minutes or so do the same again beginning with
      the vegetables & ending with the chicken
15.         this will help to give the chicken a nice finish 

Q-Zine had adapted & created a new recipe from an original sourced from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10746375
Which is originally from the cookbook
Me'a Kai; The Food And Flavours Of The South Pacific by International Chef  & Pacific Island food expert Robert Oliver
Full acknowledgment to Robert Oliver for the  original recipe <3


Pawpaw, Mango & toasted Walnut Salad
with Coconut Passionfruit dressing

I have had to adapt this recipe as it would be traditionally made with Kapisi vai — Samoan watercress (which is quite peppery & tender so rocket was a good substitute)  & Ifi -  Polynesian chestnuts

Ingredients
·      2 cups toasted walnuts
·      1 tbs  butter
·      pinch ground sea salt
·      pinch of chilli powder
·      1 cup grated fresh coconut
·      juice ½ lemon
·      large bunch of Rocket (or watercress)
·      2 cups diced ripe pawpaw
·      1 mango diced

COCONUT PASSION DRESSING
·       juice from about 6 large passionfruit
·      ½  tablespoon grated fresh ginger
·      1 ½  cups virgin coconut oil
·      50 ml Avocado Oil
·      salt and pepper

METHOD
1.    Break Walnut halves in quarters then throw in a pan with butter, sea salt and chilli powder, and sauté quickly for three to four minutes until lightly toasted.
2.    Place nuts on a plate to cool.
3.    Now toast the grated coconut in the same fry pan h=the nuts were toasted in over medium heat until lightly browned, then set aside to cool
4.    To make the dressing, put all the dressing ingredients into a jar;  the passionfruit pulp, the ginger, the coconut & Avocado oil, salt & pepper. Secure the lid on the jar well & shake until all the ingredients are combined.
5.    To assemble and serve the salad begin by placing the Pawpaw & mango in a pile in a bowl or plate
6.    ,now top that with the fresh green rocket (or watercress)
7.    top this with the toasted coconut
8.    followed by the walnuts
9.    then finally shake the dressing well & pour over the salad
this is a Q-Zine recipe adapted from an original sourced from

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